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The Battle of Pea Ridge and Celebrating The Openin

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A good war-date Union officer's letter, written by Michigan native 1st Lt. Hiland H. Weaver, 3rd Iowa Battery, 3p. quarto, ink, Camp of 3rd Iowa Battery, Helena, Arkansas, October 30, 1862, and reads in part: "...this forenoon we had a celebration of the completion of the fort at Helena. We fired twenty rounds from our battery. It made me think some of Pea Ridge only the firing was all on our side...the fort has ten large siege guns some sixteen and some thirty two pounders they fired 10 round from the fort and the gun boats around and all of the field batteries fried. It was one perfect roar of artillery. The report of the large guns can be heard from twenty to thirty miles and that of field artillery twelve to sixteen miles. I have no idea what the natives thought, they had better be on the move but the most of them are getting used to the sound of firearms. I wish there was not one left to hear the report of cannon that would answer to the name of Secesh...Iowa has the name of sending the best fighting men to war that has been sent from any one state and in every instance they have won honor that they never can lose. The troop from Iowa have been in more battles than the troops from any other state with no larger population than she has and the Democrats claim they have more men in the army than the Republicans have but when you come to look at the votes of the soldiers from Iowa you will find they are very much mistaken...there is no mercy showed the Uncle Sam horses if there is anything to be done they are used as long as they can go and then let them go for what they will fetch. My horse has buck shot in him that he got at Pea Ridge...." VG.

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